IPOB urges police to stop arrest of Biafrans with tribal body marks 

By Cyprian Ebele,Onitsha

The Indigenous People of Biafra,(IPOB), Tuesday, urged the disbanded SARS/police to immediately stop the continuous alleged maltreatment, abduction and extrajudicial executions of innocent citizens in Abia State over birthmarks or tribal marks.

The spokesperson of the group, Emma Powerful, described the disbanded SARS as a Police unit that is allegedly terrorising Nigerians, adding that it has been notorious for its brutal torture, extrajudicial executions, and illegal organ trafficking which led to a massive national protest in 2020 by the name #ENDSARS. 

“In the deceptive nature of the Nigerian government, the Nigerian Police Force headquarters claimed to have disbanded the Police Unit (SARS) just to assuage the angry protesters. Till date, the Police gang called SARS is still operational in the Eastern Region. 

“They are responsible for the forceful disappearance and extrajudicial executions of many Igbo youths, particularly those with birth or tribal marks. They are mostly operating in Aba Abia State where they ‘abduct’ and possibly kill any youth with a tribal or body mark and tag the victim as IPOB or ESN, if the family does not pay Hundreds of Thousand of Naira as bail. 

“The activities of this evil police unit have also been felt in both Anambra and Imo States.In the malicious intent of this notorious Police Unit, they have abducted and extrajudicially executed many Igbo youths with tribal marks in the name of looking for IPOB members and ESN Operatives. 

“The Nigerian government and her murderous Security Forces know that the IPOB movement is a voluntary mass movement of people and not a cult group with any identifiable body mark.Why then do the notorious Nigerian Police profile people with tribal or birth and body marks as IPOB members or ESN Operative? It querried.

 The group, however reiterated that its members are not criminals nor terrorists but victims of the wicked and brutal Nigerian government who criminalize lawful, non-violent, and self-determination struggle but tacitly support terrorism, and banditry in Northern Nigeria. 

In defence of the tribal mark IPOB said that some Igbo communities give their children birth marks as part of their culture even as some people were given body marks because of sickness or traditional beliefs. 

“Some body marks come from accidents or other factors not related to any negativity. Tribal marks are not particular to Ndigbo. Other tribes such as Yorubas, Hausa, Fulanis, and other tribes in Nigeria have body marks, too. Why then do the Nigerian notorious SARS Police and military stereotype and criminalize Ndigbo because of body marks? 

“Notorious Nigerian SARS Police in their warped minds believe that anyone with tribal or birth or body mark is an ESN Operative or IPOB member. IPOB members and ESN Operatives do not have any attributable body marks. We are not a cult group but volunteers of a mass movement seeking to restore Biafra Independence via referendum. 

“Nigerian Police Headquarters should call their notorious SARS in Abia State to order or, better yet, abolish them altogether as they agreed to do after the ENDSARS protest. Also, the Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti, should wade in and stop the malicious intent of Nigerian Police to abduct torture and forcefully disappear innocent Abia youths using body marks as conduit in disguise.

“Alex Otti should call on the Nigeria Police Force in Abia State to release the people they abducted because they had body marks. If having body marks is a crime in Nigeria, then the Yorubas, Hausas, and Fulanis with tribal or body marks should be arrested and tried in the court of law.

” The more the Nigerian Government and her murderous Security Forces profile and intimidate Ndigbo, the more Ndigbo can’t see the reason to continue to belong to Nigeria. Instead, they will continue to support the  restoration of the independent nation of Biafra. All we want is an Independent Biafra State and that we shall get irrespective of all the stereotyping and  oppression. 

“The governor of Abia State Dr Alex Otti should stop the suffering of our people from the hands of the notorious Nigerian Security Forces, we are aware he is behind all this and we are giving him four days to deny these allegations. 

“We are giving him the benefit of the  doubt to deny the allegations. If he fails to do so, we are going to hold him responsible for those murdered unjustly in Abia State since the 30th of May, Biafra Heroes Memorial Day 2024, until today,” IPOB maintained